Studied by 21 people
Mayan notes starting from 3/18 Aztec and Inca notes starting 3/21 Suggested to turn on the “Answer with definition” option instead of the “Answer with Term” if taking a Practice Test
Where in the world is the Yucatán Peninsula?
Mexico, The Gulf of Mexico (nearby), North America (nearby), next to the Caribbean Islands
Physical features of the Yucatán Peninsula?
A peninsula, next to the Caribbean Islands
When did Pre-Colombian civilizations flourish?
Prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus, in 1942
What time period did the Olmecs live during?
1200 BCE to 400 BCE
Where were the Olmecs located?
Mesoamerica
What were the Olmecs famous for?
Their massive carved stone heads.
Who’s disappearance was a mystery?
The Olmecs
When did the Mayans exist?
500 - 900 CE
What part of the world did the Mayans live?
In the Yucatán Peninsula (modern day Guatemala, Belize, and Southern Mexico)
Where in the peninsula did the Mayans build their civilization?
In the tropical rainforest
What did the Mayans build?
Irrigation canals, terracing
What method did the Mayans use to make room for agriculture?
Slash and burn agriculture (cut down trees & burn remains to fertilize the soil)
What were the main crops for the Mayans?
Potatoes and Corn
What did the Mayans use as currency?
Cacao beans
Why was the Mayan civilization made up of independent city-states?
Due to the dense rainforest
Who were the Mayan city-states ruled by?
A king-priest
What was the largest Mayan city-state?
Chichen-Itza
Were the Mayans Monotheistic or Polytheistic?
Polytheistic
Who was the most important god to the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incans?
The Sun God
Why did the Mayans practice human sacrifice?
To ensure the crops would grow and that the sun would rise the next day.
What ritual did the Mayan priest-kings do?
Blood letting
What game was popular across Mesoamerica?
The Mayan Ball Game
How did the Mayans create 3 calendars?
Based off their astronomical observations
What did the Mayans number system include?
Zero
What did the Mayans dig for farming?
They dug irrigation canals
What is the Mayan’s sacred calendar called?
Tzolk’in
How long did the Tzolk’in last?
260 days
What was the name for the Mayan’s secular calendar?
Haab’
How long did the Haab’ last?
365 days
When did the long count calendar complete a major cycle?
December 21, 2012
When did the Spanish conquistadors come to Mesoamerica?
During the 16th century
What continent is Peru, Childe, and Argentina in?
South America
When did the Aztecs exist?
1427 CE - 1521 CE
When did the Incans exist?
1438 CE - 1572 CE
Where did the Aztecs live?
In Mexico by Lake Texcoco
Where were the Aztecs invaded from?
The North
Where were the Incans located?
On the Western coast of South America(Peru and Argentina)
What is the capital of the Aztec Empire?
Tenochtitlan
What is the capital of the Incan Empire?
Cuzco
What did the conquered cities of the Aztec Empire do?
They had to pay tribute through goods/sacrificial victims
Were the Aztecs and Incans polytheistic or monotheistic?
Polytheistic
What did the Aztecs create?
Chinampas
What did the Aztecs use as currency?
Cacao beans
What was the main crops between both the Aztecs and Incans?
Corn
What did the Aztecs use to draw symbols and what were those symbols?
Used codices and heiroglyphics
How many calendars did the Aztecs have?
2 calendars — one for religious ceremonies and another for regular days
What is Quipu?
Knotted colored strings used as a counting system
Who built Machu Pichu?
The Incans
Who domesticated llamas?
The Incans
How many people did the Aztecs come to rule over?
5-6 million people
Population of the Inca?
12 million people
Did the Olmecs come before or After the Mayans?
Before the Mayans
How did the Mayan civilization come to an end?
The Spanish Conquistadors came to Mesoamerica
What ruled over the Aztecs and Incans?
Emperors
Where did the Aztecs practice human sacrifice?
On top of their temples
Where did the Incans practice human sacrifice?
On top of the Andes Mountains (by being mummified)
What did the Incans build that connected the empire across the Andes?
A road system
What historical landmark did the Incans build?
Machu Pichu
Note 
Flashcard (50)